


The Promise

by nic



Category: Earth 2, Earth 2 (TV 1994)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-21
Updated: 2009-12-21
Packaged: 2017-10-04 20:13:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/33680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nic/pseuds/nic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set after the end of the series.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Promise

**Author's Note:**

  * For [voleuse](https://archiveofourown.org/users/voleuse/gifts).



> Thank you to Gumbuoy and Alasen for the amazing last-minute beta jobs! You guys are awesome.

"Mom. Mom, wake up! You're gonna miss it!"

Devon opened her eyes. Uly was tugging on her arm, a huge grin on his face as he bounced up and down with excitement. "Come on, Mom!"

Blinking, she lifted her head and looked around. She must have dozed off for a minute, because she could see the sun blazing outside, through the open tent flap, despite the wintry chill in the air. "Okay, Uly, just give me a second," she smiled, and shook her head in an attempt to throw off the last remnants of sleep. "Now what is it that I'm missing?"

Uly just gave her a big grin and tugged her to her feet. "Outside, you'll see!"

She allowed herself to be dragged out into the clearing, where several other members of the group were also milling about, wondering what had caused so much excitement. True stood next to Yale, with a huge grin on her face, as Uly ran to join her.

"Is everybody here?" asked Yale.

Uly nodded. "Follow us!" He lead the group behind the tents, then around the transrover, and skidded to a stop in front of a lone tree. A decorated tree. A few lights had been strung up, along with chains of the purple vines which they'd discovered in the area, and misshapen decorations made of twigs. Devon could even see a flash of colour here and there and she wondered what the kids had borrowed from their supplies to have such a beautiful effect.

"It's a Christmas tree!" announced True. "Yale was teaching us about them and we thought that we could make one for us!"

"Do you like it, Mom?" Uly asked. "I wanted it to be special for you."

"I love it," she replied sincerely, and pulled her son into a hug. He seemed to cling more tightly than usual, and she relished the hold. He was getting so big, and he was taller than she thought possible. Yale met her eyes and she mouthed a silent, "Thank you," to him. Devon knew the journey was so difficult on the children and giving them this day was special for them all.

\---

"Devon, could you give me a hand with this?" Bess was struggling with a bucket of water, freshly melted from the snow. "Walman needs it in the kitchen." Devon hurried to help, noting the well-worn paths between the tents were free from ice, making this winter camp slightly different from the last. They weren't so high here.

"Thanks," Bess said gratefully as Devon grasped the handle. "I didn't realise that pregnancy would make me so exhausted all of the time."

Devon smiled in sympathetic understanding. "I know. When I became pregnant with Uly, I thought I could handle absolutely anything. Having a child was just one more thing on my 'to do' list and I didn't think it would slow me down at all. But then the morning sickness hit…." She grimaced in memory. That had been one of the few times in her life that she hadn't been in complete control. "I never thought it could be so hard."

"I can't imagine you ever struggling," replied Bess. "I'm just glad I didn't get sick; that would have really slowed us down."

Together, they lugged the bucket to Walman, who accepted it with a nod of thanks. He was making his grandmother's special soup (the G889-version, of course) as part of their Christmas dinner and already, the mixture of spices he'd come up with smelled divine.

"What was it like?" Bess asked as they wandered back to the main tent. "Having your life change all of a sudden?" Wearily pushing her hair behind her head, she said, "I'm so excited about this baby but, well, I never imagined doing this on my own."

"On your own?" asked Devon. She knew that Morgan was more than supportive, he was ecstatic at the prospect of being a father.

"I mean…away from, well, everything. People. Doctors and hospitals and…" Bess paused. "I know that when I came with Morgan I was giving up my family, but it never seemed so final until now."

She was right, Devon reflected. They'd all left blood family behind, knowing it was unlikely they'd ever see them again. In Devon's case, she'd been willing to do absolutely anything for her son and that included saying goodbye to her somewhat-estranged relatives. Bess had made the break much earlier, moving from Earth to the stations and knowing she would rarely, if ever, see them again.

"I wish my mom could be here to see her grandchild."

They cleared a space on the table, and Devon began making tea for them both.

"My mother wasn't around either when Uly was born," she confessed. Devon didn't often speak of her family, but Bess needed to hear the story, to know that she'd be okay. "I had Yale. But he couldn't tell me why Uly was crying, or if I was a good or bad mom, or even tell me that everything I was feeling was okay." The scent of tea filled the tent, somehow making the room seem warmer. Cosier. She smiled at Bess.

"I was such a mess of emotions, Bess. Having a child was like nothing I had ever imagined. I read all the books I could, did all of the research, but there was still nothing that prepared me for those moments when I held my baby in my arms and he smiled at me." She paused. "And even though I didn't know what I was doing, somehow, it all worked out okay."

"But what about me?" protested Bess. "I don't have any book databases! I don't even know where to start with all of this." She pulled her mug close, but her hands were trembling. "And I can't tell Morgan any of this; he's panicking even worse than I am."

Devon suppressed a smile, because it was all too easy to imagine Morgan pestering Julia for hours over each and every possible scenario that could involve a new baby. "You have me," she said, laying her hand over Bess' own. "And you have Yale, and you have Danziger, and you have every single person in this group. We're all here for you."

"Even on those nights when the baby doesn't stop crying?"

"Especially on those nights," Devon promised. "Trust me, your baby is going to have so many aunts and uncles, it will be the envy of every child born on this planet!"

Bess seemed to relax a little. "You're right, Devon. We're family." More than blood family now, Devon knew. She'd been through so much with these people, faced so many crises, and yes, even death, but she was closer to them all than anyone else she'd known her entire life.

"Look at us," Bess said. "Who ever thought that a backward Earth girl would be talking to someone like you about how to look after a baby?"

"But we're the same here," insisted Devon. Her privileged background meant nothing any more. It hadn't helped her when they crashed, nor when they all got so sick. In fact, the only thing it had given her was group leadership, and even that belonged also to Danziger these days.

As if reading her mind, Bess said, "You're right. I'm so glad Danziger agreed we could stop for a few weeks. It was hard for him, being so close to New Pacifica."

"It's hard for all of us!" Julia came in from the side room, overhearing Bess' last statement. "I've been co-ordinating our position with the Council satellites and it should only be a couple more months at the most."

"And then how long until the Colony ship arrives?" Devon asked, ignoring the pang in her stomach that said she should _know_ the answer to that question, only with the journey, and the constant stops, and the frequent amazement at the discoveries they were making, she'd somehow lost track.

Julia stared strangely at her for a moment, then said, "I think six months, based on the calculations Yale and I did a while ago." It was hard, sometimes, to comprehend the passing of time. The planetary rotation was different to Earth's, the days shorter, and although the group had decided upon this day for Christmas, Devon knew it didn't exactly line up with the date being commemorated back on the Stations.

"And that's when everything changes," said Bess, making something of an understatement. "I can't even think what it'll be like. I'll have a baby, we won't be travelling any more, and there'll be hundreds of people!"

"Don't remind me," Julia said. "So many sick kids arriving at once."

"And other doctors," Devon reminded her. "You won't be the only one who has to take care of them. And as I was just telling Bess, we're all here to help each other." She looked at Julia then, _really_ looked at her. She was no longer the naive young medic who had been thrown into the deep end, she was strong, capable and confident of who she was. No longer answering to the Council who'd manipulated her for so long.

"You know, Devon," began Julia, looking a little embarrassed, "I have so much to thank you for. You gave me a second chance. And that's why I never stopped hunting for a cure for you." She took Devon's hands in her own, the sentiment suddenly important. "You know that, don't you?"

Devon tried to brush off the moment and pulled away. She and Julia were so alike and so dissimilar at the same time. Both could be cold, detached when they needed to, and single-minded to a fault when pursuing something they believed was right. And yet, this planet was never something Julia had chosen and she seemed to have spent as much time as possible trying to make up for that fact.

"Julia," and it was Bess with the much-wanted interruption, something she was innately good at, "Everyone here knows how hard you work. We wouldn't have made it this far without you." She smiled mischievously. "Besides, I have it on good authority that you have managed to make chocolate for tonight's celebration?"

Feigning innocence, Julia said, "Chocolate?"

"If that's true, it'll make you the most popular person on the planet!"

All three laughed, reflecting that it was easy to be the best at something when they were so few. Julia was also someone Devon never suspected she could become friends with. There were times that Devon missed her high-flying friends, but these were becoming few and far between. "You know, Julia, you might want to get some impartial feedback before you give the chocolate to the group. Just in case it didn't quite turn out."

"You doubt my cooking abilities?" Julia protested.

"Never stand between a pregnant woman and her cravings," Devon warned, adopting a mock-serious tone. "You don't know what could happen!"

Bess was nodding her head gravely. "I might send my husband after you." They laughed, knowing that Morgan loved chocolate more than the three of them put together.

"Okay, okay!" said Julia, lifting her hands in surrender. "But you can't let anyone else in on this."

"We promise," Devon and Bess chorused together, as if they'd rehearsed it. And this only led to more laughter, a chance for the three of them to forget their responsibilities for a moment, forget all of the grown up stuff, and just be three friends chatting over tea and chocolate.

 

\---

The delicacy was a hit at dinner. Devon's party hat, carefully constructed by True and Uly using dried grasses, kept slipping over her eyes but somehow, that only added to the mood. She sat between Uly and Danziger and reflected that it was rare for Uly to be so loving and attentive. If this is what Christmas did to him, it was a reason to celebrate it every year.

She and Uly had spent the afternoon playing in the snow. This winter, they'd made skis rather than a sled, and Uly had taken to it remarkably quickly. (Devon secretly suspected that the Terrians had a hand in his unique ability to stay upright; it wasn't something that the adults in the group were particularly good at.) There was nothing more precious to Devon than seeing the smile on her son's face, laughing with him, throwing snow at him, and then letting him beat her when they raced.

They'd eaten wild turkey for dinner, and an amazing array of vegetables that Baines had grown in the small greenhouse they'd constructed. Walman had even shared the wine from his secret stash - Devon wasn't quite sure how she felt about him diverting resources to make alcohol - but reflected that sometimes, turning a blind eye was worth it.

She looked at her circle of friends, laughing and talking, smiles in every direction. Even the flickering of broken-down lights seemed to add to the atmosphere rather than take away from it.

"Attention!" Alonzo was banging a spoon against his mug. "Quiet, everyone!" He stood to his feet. "I would like to propose a toast."

"To what? Your good looks?" Danziger teased.

"No, to yours," he replied, and Danziger laughed. "But on a serious note, I would like to say that I have been to a lot of Christmas parties over the years, but this would have to be the best one I've ever been to. And that's because of all of you." Alonzo paused for a moment, giving Julia a special smile. "You've all become my family and I can't imagine anything better."

He lifted his glass. "Here's to Eden Advance!"

Devon clinked her mug against Uly's, then turned to face Danziger. "Merry Christmas, Adair," he said gruffly, but his eyes were soft. Their cups of wine met and they held each others' gaze for a moment. She started to reply when True stood on her chair and announced, "It's time to light the tree!"

There was a general stampede while everyone pulled on their coats and hats, but Devon didn't feel any particular need to rush. Danziger sat back in his chair and laughed. "Any minute now, True'll decide she's too old for all of this."

"I don't know, she's not the only one who's excited." Yale reached the door first and stood blocking the children's way until they had their gloves on.

"You're right, I haven't seen Baines run that fast since the last time he got scared by a grendler."

Devon punched his shoulder in mild chastisement, but she was smiling as she did it. "I seem to recall you being scared by more than few of the creatures we've run into on this planet!"

"Yeah, but I don't scream like he does."

It was true, and she couldn't argue any more. Instead, she allowed him to help her on with her coat and they followed the others outside. It was a brilliant night, the stars luminous in the absence of both moons. Their footsteps crunched on the pathway and Devon felt Danziger take her arm, leading her in a different direction.

The noise faded in the distance as they walked, Danziger saying, "Thought you might appreciate a moment of quiet." It was true; he knew her so well. It had been a day surrounded by so many people and sometimes, she just needed to breathe.

The view of the valley was breathtaking. They stood there in silence for several long moments, Devon taking in the serenity, Danziger giving her the time that she needed. And watching her. She could feel his eyes on her but it didn't bother her, not like it might have in the past. She turned and took a step closer; he responded by wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"I missed you, Adair." And there was more than a note of sadness in his voice and she wondered just how hard it had been on him, when she got sick, when she'd been gone. "Hell, I still miss you. I always wish I'd said something, but there was always so much goin' on, and you had to be the leader, and I just didn't want to mess with that."

She leaned into him, appreciating his warmth, his strength, his comfort. She didn't know what to say. They still had so far to go, so many trials to come, and they both had to be strong.

"John," she started, then halted. She was so good with words with anyone but him. And she knew that saying the words would change things. "John, you know how much I've come to rely on you. How much…how much this group needs you."

He turned her into his arms, so they were face to face, but still apart. "And what about you?" he asked gently, one hand tilting her chin so she couldn't avoid his eyes.

She searched for the words, ready to launch into a speech of how she hadn't trusted a man in years, how Danziger was unlike anyone else she'd ever known, how he was a source of strength and inspiration for her, how he drove her to endless frustration. How she watched him with True and it made her heart ache because he was such a good father. How he had blown past all of her pre-conceptions and judgements and revealed himself to be a good man. A man she could imagine by her side for…

"Ah, hell, Adair," and he kissed her soundly.

\---

The Christmas tree lights blazed true and strong. Walman was leading the group in a rendition of an ancient Christmas carol and the chorus of voices carried far throughout the mountains. Somehow, they'd even constructed a star for the top of the tree and it flickered softly.

Uly held tightly to Devon's left hand, and on the right, holding just as tightly, was Danziger. She smiled fondly at them both, her heart so full. It didn't matter what the future brought because this moment was enough.

"I love you, Mom," Uly whispered and hugged her tight.

"I love you too."

 

\----

A thousand kilometres away, the lone Terrian by the cryo-chamber threw its head back and trilled. It felt sadness, human sadness through its link with the boy, and didn't know what to make of it. Slowly, it removed its hands from the glass.

It cocked its head, staring at the form of the human behind the glass, knowing her mind dreamed while her body slept. She would have good dreams for now.

\---

 

Uly stepped back from the Terrian, the sound of carols fading in his ears. Tears streamed down his face. He knew he'd be so tired the next day but it had been worth it, to dream everyone the Christmas that it should have been.

"Merry Christmas, Mom," he whispered. "I know you'll be with us again soon."

 

In her dreams, she was.


End file.
